Kohima, March 24 (MExN): The leader of the opposition and Naga People’s Front Legislator, TR Zeliang today contented that due to defective EVMs, the starting of voting in many polling stations on February 27 were delayed and many electorates were unable to exercise the franchise due to time constraint.
Casting aspersion on the effectiveness of Electronic Voting Machine (EVMs), he suggested that the House hold discussion and pass a resolution to do away with EVMs and go back to the old paper ballot system as it can be “cross-checked.”
“We do not know who handle and who can manipulate this system,” he said.
Participating in the general discussion on motion of thanks to the Governor’s Address at the ongoing session of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly, Zeliang said many genuine voters in various constituencies regardless of political parties in Nagaland could not cast their precious votes due to defective EVMs and the presiding officers and polling officers had to wait for replacement of EVMs in many of polling stations.
In most of these polling stations despite the delay caused due to defective EVMs the polling official did not compensate the time beyond 4 pm, he claimed.
“Some of my party candidates had lost the elections in view of not being granted sufficient time to the genuine voters to exercise their franchise. For the information of this August House, 7 candidates of NPF lost by a margin of below 100 votes,” he added.
If 80 percent of voters were allowed to cast their rightful votes, we could have secured more than 32 MLAs, Zeliang further contented.
“The effectiveness of EVMs is highly questionable. Hence, I call upon this August House discuss on this issue and pass a resolution to do away with EVM system and go back to ballot paper system which is more reliable and which is realistic.”
